This is a copy of my old Deck Log (Online Journal). I am now using an online blog at my "Have Web Sites Will Travel" web site. I use it to chronolog my travels around North America (my American Odyssey).

This "Old" Deck Log is now only an archive of past postings. It tell's the reader where I have visited and what adventures I have had up til the time I started my blog on Have Web Sites Will Travel. This archive was written primarily from the perspective of a tourist. Not necessarily my work log though I may do some of that too, especially in those early days when I built the sites resouces. Initially I used it to detail my efforts in getting prepared for the adventure. Then I chronicled the adventure itself.

To read my current Blog, Deck Log, Journal or Captains Log go here.

Date:     16 April 2004    9:15 AM

Location:     City: Kingsburg     State: California

Log Entry Title:     Summary of 29 March to 16 April 2004 in Kingsburg California

Log Entry:     29 March to 2 April 2004 Plans for the week.
3 April 2004 Visit With My Cousin Mary Ann (Plumlee) Parker
4 April 2004 Underway Day to Calico Ghost Town, Yermo, California.
5 April 2004 Visited Calico Ghost Town, Yermo, California.
8 April 2004 Underway to New Hub Location Fresno, California.
13 April 2004 After a few days in Kingsburg, California.
14 April 2004 Uncle Bob and Aunt Neoma Glazebrook Visited My Road Home.
16 April 2004 More After a few days in Kingsburg, California.


29 March to 2 April 2004
This week will be spent getting ready for my next move into the Fresno, California area. I plan on stopping at the Calico Ghost Town for a few days. They have an RV Park on the premises. Calico is a place we went to several times as I was growing up. I even have some 8MM movies that the family took back then. I look forward to seeing how it looks today.

Calico is located in Barstow, California along the historic Route 66 and will be a nice halfway point on my way to the Fresno, California area. Once in Fresno I am planning to have my actual location be Kingsburg, California.

Spending Friday and Saturday with my cousin Mary Ann (Plumlee) Parker who lives in Lytle Creek, California with her husband Steve. Then on Sunday it's underway for Barstow and the Calico Ghost Town.


3 April 2004
Visited with my cousin Mary Ann (Plumlee) Parker and her husband Steve. They live in Lytle Creek, California. Strangely enough, they live less than a 1/4 mile away from the very campground my family spent the entire summer in back in 1962 or 1963.

This is my cousin Mary Ann (Plumlee) Parker and her husband Steve.

This is me with my cousin Mary Ann (Plumlee) Parker.

This is the sign for the Lytle Creek Forest Ranger Station. The forest fires of 2003 burned right up to the edge of this station.

4 April 2004
Today was a travel day. For the first time since the adventure began I am now heading North. I left Hemet, California about noon. Arrived at the Calico Ghost Town Campground about 3:30 PM. Nice trip. As it was Sunday and I was leaving the Southern California area I avoided most of the traffic which was inbound from Las Vegas on I15. I will stay here until Thursday. When I will get underway for the Fresno area. I intend to stay in Kingsburg, California while in the Fresno Home Port.

One of my former shipmates from the USS Mckee AS-41 lives in Hisperia, California about 30 miles from Calico Ghost Town. She has arranged to meet me while I am there so we can talk about the "good ole days" during the precommissioning and the first year or so after commissioning.

While I was in Hemet, California I stayed in the Sun Valley Estates Mobile Home Park. The staff and management were all very helpful. It is centrally located in the Inland Empire. I was able to get around the region fairly easily while there.

Below are a few pictures of the Sun Valley Estates Mobile Home Park.

This is the entrance to the Sun Valley Estates Mobile Home Park. Sun Valley Estates Mobile Home Park faces West Florida Ave. in Hemet, California.



This is where I stayed. I forgot to get any pictures while I was set up and living at the Sun Valley Estates Mobile Home Park. But as you can see I did manage to get a picture just before I left.

5 April 2004

Arrived at Calico Ghost Town yesterday. I am staying in the Calico Ghost Town RV Park and Campground. Today I took a walk up the hill (about 900 feet) to Calico Ghost Town. Had a geat time looking around. It was an absolutely beautiful day with a gentle and cool breeze. One of the nicest days I've seen in a long time.

This was an interesting visit for me because I had been here several times before in the late 1950's and early 1960's. I must admit it didn't look at all like I remembered. But it was still an enjoyable visit. The town is well maintained and clean. In fact they have paved the streets which were all dirt when I was here before.

Below are some pictures I took around town. Later I will add some of the Calico Ghost Town RV Park and Campground.

My Truck in front of the entrance to Calico Ghost Town


Main Street of Calico Ghost Town


Another view of Main Street Calico Ghost Town


Me with the Sheriff of Calico Ghost Town


Me with one of the inhabitant miners of Calico Ghost Town


Me and another resident miner of Calico Ghost Town


This area is where the Chineese residents worked doing the laundry etc.


Nice little train tour of Calico Ghost Town

8 April 2004
Arrived today in my new Home Port. I left Calico Ghost Town today and transited up to Kingsburg, California where I will remain for at least a month while I spend some time in the central California area. I was born just 20 miles from here in Lindsay, California. All my aunts and uncles and many cousins live within 50 miles of here so I will be spending most of this stay visiting with family.


13 April 2004
Well I have been here a few days now and after an initial rush around to visit aunts, uncles and cousins I have begun to settle in. As mentioned above I was born in this area so will be doing a little less touristing and more remaniscing and visiting family. Yesterday my Uncle James Seay and my Aunt Janet Seay came by to visit. My plans, in addition to family visits, for this area include finishing my taxes (I know my priorities) and taking day trips up to Yosemite and Sequaia National Parks. Probably do some looking around at places familiar to me from my early years.


14 April 2004
My Aunt Neoma (Seay) Glazebrook and my Uncle Bob Glazebrook came by the RV today and took me out for lunch. Neoma is my mothers sister and has been a second mom for me ever since mom passed away. Bob is a one of a kind original. As long as I can remember Bob has been a loveable bear of a guy who is very physical with one of the best and loveable personalities I know. I always enjoy visiting with them.


16 April 2004
I now can buy the T-shirt "I Survived Tax Day 2004." Yep another Tax day under my belt. This was a little more taxing (punn intended) than most. This year I owed more than I ever have before.

Spent some time in Fresno today getting my "Have Web Sites Will Travel" Truck serviced. While that was done I spent some time with my Aunt Neoma (Seay) Glazebrook and my Uncle Bob Glazebrook. I helped Neoma with some computer problems and installing some new programs for printing photographs.

Tommorow, Saturday, I am getting with my cousin Teresa (Fox) Hylton. We are going to take a day trip up to Sequaia National Park. I look forward to a beautiful drive.

Ray Plumlee